BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - VMI's Allan Wimmer (Vienna, Va. / James Madison) went 3-for-4 at the plate and sophomore right-hander Jeff DeMara (Chesapeake, Va. / Great Bridge) earned his first save of the season as the Keydets held off Samford, 4-3, in the final game of the series at Joe Lee Griffin Field Sunday afternoon. The Bulldogs (2-1) out-hit VMI (1-5), 9-7, but Samford stranded seven base runners.

Red-shirt freshman Matt Alling went 3-for-5 with two RBI to lead the Bulldogs. Alling hit .714 in the series (5-for-7) and added three RBI. VMI's Jimmy Thoms (Newport News, Va. / Denbigh) (1-0) picked up his first win of the season. Thoms allowed one earned run in five innings while striking out two. DeMara came on in relief in the bottom of the ninth and allowed one hit. Sophomore right-hander Alan Bryan took the loss for Samford. Bryan gave up three earned runs in five innings and struck out four. Stephen Artz relieved Bryan and recorded three strikeouts in his college debut.

The Bulldogs trailed 4-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth. Sae Evans led off the inning with a single to left field. Michael Collins then hit into a fielder's choice and Joe Denson grounded out giving the Bulldogs two outs. DeMara got Alling to ground out to end the game.

VMI took a 3-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning. Andy Barden (Chesterfield, Va. / Manchester) scored on Elliott Erbe's (Portsmouth, Va. / Western Branch) two-out double to center field. Jon Hadra (Richmond, Va. / Atlee) singled in Erbe giving VMI a 2-0 lead. Matt Smith (Chesapeake, Va. / Great Bridge) knocked in Hadra, but right fielder Robert Evans threw out Smith on his way to second base to end the inning.

The Keydets made it 4-0 in the top of the sixth on Jason Annis' (Placentia, Calif. / Valencia) RBI sacrifice fly scoring Brandon Massenburg (Prince George, Va. / Prince George). Samford cut into its deficit in the bottom of the inning. Denson walked and Alling doubled down the left field line. With one out, Robert Evans grounded out scoring Denson to make it 4-1.

Samford cut it to 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh. Heath Owen singled to right field and advanced to second on Sae Evans' single up the middle. With one out, Denson walked loading the bases. Alling drove the first pitch he saw up the middle scoring Sae Evans and Owen.

The Keydets will open at home on Saturday as they will host Hofstra in a doubleheader at Patchin Field. The opening pitch is set for noon.

Courtesy of the Samford Sports Information Department.